Internal-combustion engine



Nov. 18, 1930. R. A. REYNOLDS v INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan. 8,1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Babe Z 1?. Reynolds. Fl Ian/r!v K:A;TTO:R W

Nov. 18, 1930. R. A. REYNOLDS 04 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Jan.8,1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATfoRNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1930 ROBETA.- REYNOLDSQQOFDETROIT,,MIGH1GAN TINTERNAL-GOMBUSTION ENGINEAppIication tiled January 8, 1930. Serial No. 419,429.

This invention relates to an internal combustion engine, and has to doparticularly with an engine designed in such manner that a power strokeof eachpiston is had in each downward stroke of the piston. In otherwords, the invention aims to provide an internal combustion enginegenerally-referred to as an engine of the two cycle type whichdifferentiates from the conventional four cycle type wherein a powerstroke of a piston occurs only once every four strokes or inevery otherdownward stroke.-

An engine of this nature is shown in my Patent 'No. 1,695,823 grantedDecember 18, l5 1928. In the engine ofthe patent, however, a slidingcross head was used in the cylinder construction which, together withthe piston and sleeve, made the engine too great in over-v all heightfor use in many places as, for example, automotive vehicles.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an engine whichoperates in the two cycle manner but wherein the over-all height ismaterially reduced over that required by an. engine shown in my patentand that the over-all height may be substantially the same as a similarfour cycle engine. In carrying out this matter,the inventioncontemplates the provision of a construction for the pur- ,.-?'9 poseof. forming a chamber immediately below the piston which chamber changesin size but which is provided with a novel con,.

struction closing the end of the sleeve in which the pistonreciprocates. At the same closed end. The purpose of providing thischamber will be better understood as the description progresses indetail.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View taken through an engine constructed inaccordance with the invention illustrating the parts in the positionassumed just prior to a power stroke.

Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view inillustration of the positioning ofthe parts after the power stroke has been substantially expended. i

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional View in illustration of the position ofthe parts just prior to thejcompression strokei. I

time the connecting rod extends through thisv erally referenced 1 acrank case 2, and crankshaft 8. The cylinder block is provided with 65the usual cylindrical formation as at 4;, within which thereis-reciprocably mounted a sleeve 5. Within this sleeve i819. piston 6havinga connecting rod which joins the piston to the crankshaft in theusual manner. 7

One end of the sleeveis closed as at 10 while the other end ofthe sleeveis equipped for the passage therethrough of the connecting rod 7, yet insuch a manner as to form a sealed closure. For this purpose a closure 75member 11 is secured to the lower end of the sieeveasby means of screwthreading the two together as at 12, and this member is connected as at13' to astrap 14 mounted on an eccentric 15 on the-crankshaft.

The member 11 is slotted as at16 for the passage therethroughof theconnecting rod, and inasmuch as there is a swinging movement of theconnecting rod together with its relative longitudinal movement, theslot is made of sufficient length to take care of thisv swingingmovement. Note' Figs. 1 andQ. This slot is sealed for a purposepresently to be described. The connectingrod is pref erably ofuniformcross sectional dimension 90 for a considerable portion of its lengthsoas to slidably fit what might be termed a bushing 20 fitted around thesame. The bushing,as shown in Fig. 7, comprises two halves sothat it canbe placed around the connecting rod, the halves being secured to getherby machinescrews as shown.

WVithin the member 11 fis'a rocking sealing element'21 composed oftwohalves secured together by bolts 22 taken through aligned 3.;1)

ears in these halves. The sleeve or bushing near its central portion,preferably has a bead or rounded formation 23 and the two halves of therocker member 21 have each a rounded recess 24. When the two rockermembers are placed together, thecircumferential bead 23 fits in thegroove so as to form a ball'andsock'et type of-connection permitting thebushing to rock in its mount,-v ing. Preferably, the. bushing and rockermember are further secured together by means'of pins 25 located on-theaxis of the ball and socket mounting and extending in the direction ofextent. ofthe crankshaft. Thus, while the bushing can rock in itsmounting,l such rocking movement takes place also on the fulcrum pins.As will be noted by reference to Fig. 4, at least one of the parts whichforms the rocker member 21 has a leg 26which extends downwardly throughthe opening in the closure member 11 and engages an underside thereof soas to tie the members together and prevent the rocker member fromliftingfrom the curved seat formed by the member 11.

\Accordingly, it will be noted that even though the connecting rodextends through the lower end of sleeve '5, the rocker member togetherwith the bushing effectively closes and seals the slot 16 while thejoint between the connecting rod and the bushing also providesfor aseal. In this respect, it is .to be pointed out that suitable packingmaterial may be used wherever the same is found needful.

It is further tobe pointed out thatthere is provided above the closedhead of the sleeve 5 a compression chamber 30 while the .combustionchamber lies between the head of the sleeve and the piston, asillustrated at 31. The usual spark plug is shown at 32 and the sleevehas an opening 33 which comes into alignment with the spark plug at the7 proper time, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

. causes the sleeve to move upwardly, the partsv The operation of theengine will now be described and in giving this description referencewill be made to the heretofore nonmentioned ports and passageways forraw fuel and exhaust gases and compressed air in moved position beingillustrated in Fig. Here it will be appreciated that the charge inchamber 30has been compressed.

Note also that chamber 41 positioned below the piston and defined at thelower end by the seal through which the connecting rod extends has beenreduced in size and air which was in this chamber is compressed. Atabout the time the parts reach the position shown in Fig. 2,port .42 inthe sleeve comes into'ali'gnment with thepassa-geway 43 as does also theport 44. The compressed air in chamber 41 now flows into the combustionchamber 31' and at this time the ex- .haust port in the sleeve asillustrated at 45 'comes into'alignment with an exhaust port 46 leadingto the atmosphere. The inflow of the compressed air discharges the spentexhaust gases. i

As the parts continue tov move, the passageway 43 cut ofi, and port 47moves into communication with passageway 48 which connects with thecompression chamber 30. The compressed charge now flows into thecombustion chamber. Some air is already in the combustion chamber and inthis respect it mi ht be pointed out that the compressed mixture ofcombustible fuel may be rather rich-so that as it is rarefied by the airalready in the combustion chamber a proper mixture will be had. Theparts continue with the piston rising and the sleeve lowering until theyagain reach the position indicated in .Fig. 1, thus compressing thecombustible charge in chamber 31 with the sleeve sucking in a new chargeof fuel through port 40. At this time the chamber 41 has enlarged thuscreating a rarefied atmosphere therein and port 49 in the sleeve comesinto registry with port 50 connecting to the atmosphere and due to thedifferential pressure, air. enters the chamber 41 to be compressed inthe next movement and passed through passageway 43 to blow out theexhaust gases.

' As shown in the drawing, the various ports and passagewaysdo not comeinto and out of registry at the precise mathematical moments; what ismeant is there is an overlapping of the successive registering but thisis common practice in internal combustion engines.

Accordingly, it will be noted that a two cycle engine construction isprovided in which no use is made of the crank case for the passage offuel therethrough and in which the over-all height of the engine isreduced so that such height is substantially the same as a similar fourcycle engine.

An important feature to be noted is the offcenter point of connection ofthe strap 14 with the sleeve at the point 13. This construction providesfor a relatively idle period for the sleeve at its top and bottompositions with relatively fast reciprocable movement;

For example, it will be noted by comparison of Figs. 2 and 3, that whilethe crank has moved a considerable distance the sleeve has not moved farbut'will descend rapidly soon after the position shown in Fig. 8. Thisofl'- center connection tends to set up a twisting action. This may beovercome in a number of ways and in the present instance is overcome byproviding a flat in the member 11 as illustrated at 11 and acorresponding flat on the cylinder wall. By referring to Fig. 4:,

it will be noted that one eccentric is used to a cylinder; two may beused, one on each side of the crank and this would stop the twistingaction.

Claims:

1. In an internalcombustion engine the combination with a cylinder, asleeve therein having a closed end, a piston in the sleeve, acrankshaft, a connecting rod connecting the piston and crankshaft andextending through one end of the sleeve, means for reciprocating thesleeve, and means for sealingthe end of the sleeve through which theconnecting rod extends, said sealing means comprising an element movablewith respect tothe sleeve.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a cylinder, a sleeve therein having aclosed end, apiston in the sleeve, a crankshaft, a connecting rod connecting thepiston and crankshaft and extending through one end of the sleeve, meansfor reciprocating thesleeve, means for sealing the end of the sleevethrough which the connecting rod extends, said sealing means comprisingan element movable with respect to the sleeve, and another elementsealing against-the connecting rod and movable with respect thereto.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, a.sleeve therein having a closed end, a piston in the sleeve, acrankshaft, a connecting rod connecting the piston and crankshaft andextending through one end of the sleeve, means for reciprocating thesleeve, means for sealing the end of the sleeve through which theconnecting rod extends, said sealing means comprising an element movablewith respect to the sleeve, and another element sealing against theconnecting rod and movable with respect thereto, said two elements ofthe sealing means being movably mounted with relation to each other.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a. cylinder, a sleeve therein having a closed end, apiston in the sleeve,

a crankshaft, a connecting rod connecting the piston and crankshaft andextending through one end of the sleeve, means for reciprocating thesleeve, means for sealing the end of the sleeve through which theconnecting rod extends, said sealing means comprising an element movablewith respect to the sleeve, and another element sealing against theconnectingrod and movable with respect there to, said two elements ofthe sealing means being movably mounted with relation to each other, andsaid mounting comprising a. ball and socket type joint.

5. In an internal combustion engine substantially of the 'type describeda piston, a

I crankshajfha connecting rod joining the two,

sphericaliinemberclosing the en'd :of the.

sleevethrough which the connectingirod" projects, said memberbeingslotted for the reception of the connecting rod, and means sealingagainst the connecting rod and'allowing the same to reciprocate.therethrough, and sealing against the said member to'close= the slot. t"6. In an internal combustion engine substantially ofithe type describeda piston, a crankshaft, aconnecting rod joining the two, asleeve inwhich the piston moves, means for reciprocating the sleevein timerelation to piston movements, a substantially half-- spherical memberclosing the end of the sleeve through which the connecting rod projects, saidmember being slotted forthe re ce 'itionof the ccnnectingrod,and means sealing against the connecting rod and allowing thesame toreciprocate therethrough. and sealing against the said member to close:the slot, saidmeans being rockablerin the. half-spherical member toaccommodate for angularpositions of the connecting rod.

7. In an internal combustion engine; substantially of the typedescribed, a piston, a crankshaft, a connecting rod oining the two, 3 asleeve in which the piston moves, means for reciprocating the sleeve intimed relationto piston movements, a substantially "halfspherical memberclosing the end of the sleeve through which the connecting rod.projects, said member being slotted for the reception: of theconnectingrod, meanssealing' against the connecting rod'and allowing thesame to reciprocate therethrough and sealing against the said member toclose the slot, said means being rockable in the half-spherical memberto accommodate forangular positions at. theconnectingrod,.andmeans onthe. sealing. member projecting through the slot and overlying anoutside surface of the half-, spherical member. 1 i

8. In an'i'nternal combustionengine substantially of the type described,a piston, .a crankshaft, a connecting rod joining the two,

a .reciprocable'sleeve, in which the piston.

moves, a half-spherical shaped member associatedwith the endofwthelsleeve and having a slot through which theconnectingrod extends,sealing 'means fitting into the halfspherical member for closing theslot, a bushing connected to the sealing means for sealing against theconnecting rod and through which the same reciprocates, said sealingmeans having a curved face so that the same is rockable in thehalf-spherical member.

9. In an internal combustion engine substantially of the type described,a piston, a

crankshaft, a connecting rod joining the two,

- signature.

a reciprocable sleeve in which the piston moves, a half-spherical shapedmember associated with the end of the sleeve and having a slot throughwhich theconnectingrod extends, sealing, means fitting intothe half--spherical member for closing the slot, a bushing connected to thesealing means for-sealing against the connecting rod and through whichthe [same reciprocates, said sealing means having a curved face so thatthe same is rockable in the half-spherical member, and

a balland socket type, connection between .the bushing and said sealingmeans.

:10. Inaninternal combustion engine substantially of the type described,a piston, a

crankshaft, a connectingrod oinin the two,

a reciprocable sleeve 1n which t e piston, moves, a half-sphericalshaped member asso-;

ciated with the end of the sleeve and having a slot through which theconnecting rod extends, sealing means fitting into the halfsphericalmember for closing the slot, a bushing connected to the sealing meansfor sealing against the connecting rod and through which the samereciprocates, said sealing means having a curved face so that the sameis rockable inthe half-spherical member, a

ball and socket type connection between the bushing and said sealingmeans, and fulcrum pins joining the'bushing and sealing means which arelocated on the line of fulcruming of the bushing in the sealing means.

11. In an internal combustion engine substantially of the typedescribed, a piston, a

crankshaft, a connecting rod joining the two,

a reciproeable sleeve in which the piston moves, a half-spherical shapedmember associated with the end of the sleeve and having a slot throughwhich the connecting rod extends, sealing means 'fitting into thehalfspherical 'memberfor closing the slot, a bushing connected to thesealing means for sealing against the connecting rod and through whichthe same reciprocates, said sealing means having a curved face so thatthe same is rockable in the half-spherical member, ag'ball and sockettype connection 7 between the bushing and said sealing means,

said sealing means having a part which projects through the slot in thehalf-spherical member and engages over its outer surface 7 to hold thesealing means assembled with the ha1f-spherical member. In testimonywhereof I have affixed my ROBERT A. REYNOLDS.

memos:

